With advertising revenues plummeting in the midst of a global recession, it’s time for the ‘creatives’ to get, well, creative. And for any ad-exec worth their salt, the female body is never far from the client pitch. Draping half-naked women over the bonnet of a super-car is SO yesterday – far more interesting (and cost effective) to paint a picture of the car onto the women and just let her walk around all day.

So, it must be with this pioneering spirit that the managers of marketing firm Wit Inc have started to pay Japanese girls to wear stickers on their thighs, thereby getting their message across and commercialising skin, which is a lot cheaper than a hiring billboard space in a crowded urban centre. The gap between the hem of a short skirt and the top of a long sock is apparently called ‘zettai ryouiki’ in Japanese, which roughly translates as ‘absolute territory’. It is an area beloved of manga cartoonists, and has always held great appeal for young girls and old men alike, so it was probably only a matter of time before some bright spark decided to capitalise on its allure.

The girls who apply for the privilege (and it is only available to girls at this time, lads – sorry) must have a decent number of fans or friends on a social media platform in order to qualify, but once this requirement has been satisfied, the thigh’s the limit (sorry). They can be paid up to $121 to wear a sticker on a leg for one day, and must photograph themselves in at least two locations, with the advert clearly visible, and then upload the pics to the internet.

Well, who knows what the moral position on all this should be? And does anyone care anymore? Perhaps it’s good old exploitation in a more modern guise. But then again, perhaps it’s young women turning the tables on the advertising industry and using sovereignty over their own bodies to control the message, and get paid for it. I would cite author and journalist Caitlin Moran’s basic girl-power test, which is: are the guys doing it? In this case, no, so it doesn’t yet win any prizes for feminism, although the girls involved probably can’t see the harm in it, and it does put a bit of extra money in their pockets.

Mind you, we could say the same about strippers, indeed, we often DO say the same about strippers, so where does advertising end and exploitation begin? Would you feel comfortable crouching next to a young woman’s thigh trying to copy down the number for a recently opened hair removal salon? Would she?

But my main question is this: do you get paid more for a larger thigh? I mean, I could probably fit several stickers on my ‘absolute territory’, thus creating an independent source of income that could come in very helpful. I have emailed Wit Inc on this pressing matter, and shall keep you updated…